Between the Lines of Leadership · A Headhunter's Picks (43)
Let me take you back to the world of gaming for a moment. In edition 18 we explored different categories of video games and the lessons they hold for business (here's the link in case you missed it or want a refresher https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/copy-lecciones-empresariales-del-mundo-gamer-y-buscando-soriano-uxldf/ )
We touched on the importance of strategy in RTS games, creative problem-solving in graphic adventures, and team management in MMORPGs and MOBAs. But there's one genre I left hanging that I want to bring back today: platform games.
If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, chances are you spent hours trying to beat levels in games like Super Mario Bros. or Donkey Kong (Nintendo of Europe ). The mechanics looked simple: run, jump, dodge obstacles, move to the next screen. But any gamer knows these games are really a constant exercise in resilience. You fail, you fall, but you try again, fine-tuning every move, adjusting your strategy and getting better with each attempt. It doesn't matter how many times you fail, what matters is that you keep going until you clear the level.
Jumping to Our New Screen
That idea of "clearing a level" really hits home for me right now. We're about to hit two years at W Executive. And we're celebrating it with a big move: our new headquarters in Madrid, in the iconic Torres Kio. I'll do a post showing the space and sharing the opening soon, but right now I want to pause on the journey that got us here.
Just like in a platform game, the road hasn't been linear or free of challenges. We've had to jump obstacles, learn from our mistakes and find the best strategy to keep moving forward. But every jump has been worth it. And if there's one thing I've learned over these years, it's that what really counts isn't just the goal, it's the team you choose to play the game with. Because in the end, the real stars of any business story aren't the offices or the technology, they're the people who drive the project with passion and commitment.
Cultivating Talent: Our Nursery and Greenhouse in Madrid
With this new headquarters we're also opening our Talent Nursery and Greenhouse. A space where we keep betting on the growth of our team and the professionals we work with. An environment where talent is cultivated, grows and gets stronger, adapting to new challenges. It's not just about hiring the best, it's about building a culture where every person can develop and bring real value. Like in games, progress isn't only individual, it's collective: when the team grows, the company moves forward.
From TRON to the Boardroom: Lessons from the Big Screen
(if I confirm it, behind the movie sits another of my passions...)
Film has also been a huge influence on how I understand life and business. And if there's one movie that captures the essence of the digital world, its challenges and its evolution, it's TRON. A few takeaways we can apply to business:
- Adapting to change: In TRON, the protagonist enters an unknown world and has to learn its rules fast to survive. In business, how quickly we understand and adapt to new realities defines our success. But today more than ever, adaptation isn't just an advantage, it's a necessity if the human is going to prevail over the machine. In an era dominated by AI and autonomous agents, the ability to learn, reinvent ourselves and sharpen our human skills, things like creativity, empathy and critical thinking, becomes the real differentiator. Technology moves at an unstoppable pace, but it's a leader's ability to manage change and put people at the center that will separate the companies that simply survive from the ones that lead the future.
- Strategy and analysis: In the famous Light Cycles scene, every move is a strategic decision. The same goes for the corporate world: every decision shapes the next play. Anticipating change and moving smart is key to winning.
- Innovation and disruption: TRON questions the status quo of the system it's trapped in. In business, the companies that challenge the established order are the ones that lead the way forward. Iconic examples include the transformation of Netflix, which went from a DVD rental service to revolutionizing streaming worldwide, while Blockbuster, unable to adapt, faded into oblivion. A similar case is Kodak, which had digital photography technology in its hands but chose to keep betting on paper, and lost its leadership in the industry. We could also mention companies like Nokia, which dominated the mobile phone market but failed to see the smartphone revolution, which led to its decline. These stories reinforce the idea that innovation isn't only technological, it's also strategic and cultural: adapt or get left behind.
In this new era, technological change is happening at an unprecedented pace. AI, automation and new business models are reshaping how we operate. But one thing doesn't change: the role of people. The difference between the companies that win and the ones that disappear isn't just the technology they adopt, it's how they manage change and how they put their team at the center of that transformation.
A New Level Awaits
W Executive is on a new screen, with new challenges and plenty of opportunities. Like in any good platform game, we know there will be obstacles, but also power-ups, allies and lessons to learn. The key is to move forward with determination, to share the adventure with the right teammates and to always remember that what matters isn't just winning, it's enjoying the journey.
The fundamental thing is to have a clear purpose and a well-defined north; there can be many paths, but what matters is choosing who you walk them with and enjoying the ride as a team. We should always make sure people guide and shape the systems, not the other way around.
Extra bonus (you might just spot this on the table if we meet someday...)
See you on the next screen, are you in?
